7 Desires That Drove Me Out of 9-to-5 Banking and Into Entrepreneurship

Four years ago I got employed in a multinational bank in my city. I was a young college graduate, and I had the opportunity to build a career in the financial sector. According to my boss, I had wonderful prospects. I was on what most people will consider a good path. But I wasn’t satisfied. I really wanted more.

I had never really considered becoming a full-time entrepreneur. At a point, I took some time off and went on a soul search. I read some books, made some consultations and asked myself some deep questions. During my search I was able to identify seven strong desires deep-seated in my heart driving me towards the entrepreneurship path. On my return, I was convinced to quit the nine-to-five lifestyle and become an entrepreneur. These desires, which every entrepreneur can easily identify with, are as follows:

1. I loved the idea of not living on pay checks.

Have you ever felt as if your job is limiting your earning ability? That was exactly how I felt. The idea of receiving the same pay in spite of my input was very discouraging to me. I wanted to be able to earn as much as I could. I knew I was industrious, so I felt it was unfair for me to get stuck in one job where I would earn the same pay no matter the results I deliver.

2. I desired to make a living doing what I love.

I no longer wanted to work for the money. I wanted to work because I love what I do -- not because I have to pay the bills. Very few jobs offered to give me the opportunity to do what I really love. Most of the jobs I saw were full of monotonous and boring routines. Since I really wanted to make a living doing what I love, I knew I had to start my own business.

3. I jumped at the idea of being my own boss.

While I was working in the bank, I carried out every assignment given to me by my boss to the letter. But deep down in me, I yearned for a time when I will not have to be answerable to anybody. It wasn’t because I was insubordinate -- I just strongly desired to work for myself.

4. The idea of working long and odd hours on my goals excited me.

Many times in the past, I have gotten so engrossed with different projects that I spent odd hours working, totally forgetting to eat or sleep. The idea of working long and odd hours on a particular goal didn’t scare me -- it got me excited. I was ready to work from morning to night, days on end, just to accomplish my goals.

5. I loved thinking out of the box.

Many times during my nine-to-five days, I was usually odd. If there was an easier or faster way of doing getting a result, I was always eager to find it. The idea of “that’s the way we have always done it” never appealed to me.

My favorite words when problems arose were usually, “There must be a way out." And when faced with an assignment, I usually found myself thinking, “Is there no better way of doing this?”

6. Retirement didn’t appeal to me.

I never looked forward to a life of early retirement. The thought of doing nothing from morning to night made me sick.

Don’t get me wrong. I love the idea of having free time. Who doesn’t? However I really wanted to be able to keep working, not because I had to -- but because I wanted to. Work for me means doing what I love. This means I would still be working when I retire, though it will be at a very reduced pace.

7. I crave knowledge.

"Learn as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die tomorrow." – Mahatma Gandhi

While working in the bank, I usually looked forward with enthusiasm to the numerous weekly trainings we had. I equally made it a goal to read a good number of books, and attend two seminars every month. It was not a part of my job description, but I craved for continuous personal development. I loved reading books and listening to audio messages. Scanning interesting magazines for relevant information in my field was a hobby for me. I was not satisfied with the status quo. I was driven to grow and never remain on one spot for long.

If you can relate to these desires, then I am convinced you are either an entrepreneur or very close to becoming one. Nurture that desire, and fan it into flames. If I could take that risk, so can you.